The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed top draft pick, outfielder Slade Caldwell, to a deal. Caldwell signed for $3,087,000, $41,500 above slot value, per MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. He becomes the 18th member of the D-backs’ draft class to sign with the organization.

Caldwell has a locker at Chase Field, and took BP with the major league squad today before speaking to the media.

The young outfielder was Arizona’s first pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, going 29th overall to the D-backs out of Valley View High School in Arkansas–the top draft prospect in the state.

He’s got a high motor, able to cover plenty of ground and create chaos on the basepaths. He sports a 55-grade hit tool and 65-grade speed, and while he doesn’t exactly come off as a power hitter, there’s still a bit of pop in the bat.

After getting in some reps at the plate, Caldwell spoke to the media about his decision to sign with the organization, rather than play college ball at Ole Miss, where he had previously committed.

“It was very exciting, I took some time off and let my agent work. I had two good opportunities between school and here, and I finally came down to wanting to play pro baseball, and it was just really surreal,” Caldwell said.

“It was pretty tough for me, I have a pretty good connection over there at Ole Miss, with all the coaches and all the new teammates,” said the 18-year-old, “ultimately, I think I made the best decision coming to Arizona.”

Caldwell fits the D-backs archetype well, profiling as a left-handed hitting, 5-foot-9, 172-pound speedster with good instincts, excellent fielding and good contact-hitting ability.

His style and build are reminiscent of reigning Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll, and he’ll join Arizona’s horde of diminutive lefty outfield speedsters.

Caldwell noted how his build and style of play fit in with what the D-backs have seen out of many of their younger prospects, and feels encouraged to see players of his build and stature succeed and compete at the highest level.

“It brings me hope to see these guys out on the field playing in the World Series and everything. It gives me hope as a smaller guy to come out here and compete with everybody,” Caldwell said.

“I can definitely hit the ball as hard as anybody else, I just think it’s working hard, and your work ethic really pushes you forward no matter what your size is.”

Earlier, the young outfielder met one-on-one with manager Torey Lovullo. The skipper was impressed with Caldwell’s maturity at only 18 years old.

“He handled himself unbelievably, very mature. You walk into a major league manager’s office, could be a little intimidating, but he looked me square in the eye, we had a good conversation,” Lovullo said.

“I was very glad with the meeting [with Lovullo],” Caldwell reflected, “it gives me hope, and it gives me a determination to come out here and hopefully be here in the next couple years.”

Caldwell said he expects to head out to the Arizona Complex League in the next few days, and spend a few months getting “settled” in the D-backs’ farm system before being evaluated.

“To make sure that he continues to progress through the system is entirely up to what he does each and every day, and he accepted that challenge, he’s excited to go out and take some BP today, and we’re all excited to watch him go to work as well,” Lovullo said.

Three children and one adult were hospitalized after being rescued along with nine others on a hiking trail amid oppressive heat in Arizona. Citing a release from the Scottsdale Fire Department, ABC News reports that the group, in town for a family reunion, decided to go on an early morning hike Friday on the Gateway Loop Trail in Scottsdale, setting out around 7:30am local time. The fire department was called to the scene less than three hours later to initiate a rescue, and they found the group in a wash under a tree several miles down the trail.

An adult female was taken off the trail via a “big wheel operation” and taken to a local hospital, Scottsdale Fire Capt. Dave Folio tells ABC. The release notes that a 10-year-old victim was transported to a nearby children’s hospital to be checked out, while two toddlers with heat exhaustion symptoms—one a year old, the other 18 months—were also hospitalized. All of the other hikers were said to have been able to leave the trail on their own power.

Folio tells ABC that the group, which had started to run low on water, wisely “called early” for help, before things got too dire. KNXV reports that all parties involved in the ordeal are expected to survive. The fire department ended its press release with cautionary tips about hiking on hot days, as well as a list of symptoms for heat exhaustion and heatstroke. “With the hot desert temperatures in full swing, it becomes vital to follow basic precautions when hiking,” the department notes. (More hikers stories.)

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates chose to remove starting first baseman Rowdy Tellez from their game Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, due to injury.

The Pirates announced that Tellez suffered from back spasms, leading to the medical staff to examine him and treat him. They also announced his status is day-to-day.

Diamondbacks starting pitcher in right-hander Zac Gallen hit Tellez on his hand in the top of the first inning. Medical staff and Pirates manager Derek Shelton looked at him, but decided to keep him on.

Tellez struggled in his next at-bat in the top of the third inning, laboring through and eventually fouling out to Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno.

Shelton took Tellez out shortly after and put utilityman Connor Joe in his place.

Tellez has hit .249 this season, with 62 hits in 249 at-bats, along with 10 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBI and 19 walks to 56 strikeouts. He also has a .299 on-base percentage, .398 slugging percentage and .697 OPS.

He played with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2018-21, before they traded him to NL Central rival in the Milwaukee Brewers for pitchers Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis in July 2021. Tellez spent 2021-23 with the Brewers

He signed with the Pirates on a one-year contract worth $3.2 million and $4 million with incentives.

Tellez had a rough start to the season, but his recent play, including hitting over .300 in July, has started to lead to great reception from the home fans.

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